Managers OConnor, left, and Zielonka make their final checks. The staff held a full rehearsal the Sunday before, playing out various customer scenarios and timing the checkout flow using live cash registers.

General manager Zielonka delivers the pre-opening pep talk. The sales goal for the day: $1.5 million.

The cashier crew. Blue shirts put in 12-hour shifts and managers worked around the clock.

Michael, 17, was first on line, staking his turf on Wednesday afternoon with a folding chair and a blanket. His objective: a discounted laptop for Mom.

The first wave of customers hit the floor at 5 a.m.

Michael makes his way to the computer department.

The video department fields its first customer.

Zielonka mans the door, controlling traffic flow by admitting customers in small bursts.

A shopper secures his Black Friday booty, in this case a Western Digital external hard drive and a TomTom PND.